I have a $20 wal-mart black ice call. I have hunted with it for my first 2 years of duck hunting. I am ready to get a better call. I want a call that is easy to blow and isn't outrageously priced. I am interested in starting goose hunting this next season. Does anyone know what would be a good , effective and not to exspensive beginner call would be? (I want a canda goose call)

Although i dont call with a foiles, dont get me wrong, there great calls, i believe it would be more effective if you started off witha call that doesnt take much to break and is a lot less expensive than foiles. Big river has a couple nice calls that will run you about 20 to 25 depending on what kind. I still hunt with these calls and still manage to bring in my share of the birds. For duck calls, i have about 6 because i like the variety. My newest and favorite is the Primos PHAT LADY. It does the feeding chuckle perfect for me.. Try it out, i think you'll like it.

Hey I appreciate the tips on what kinds of calls to get. But I have a question for the illinois-ducker or anyone else that has an opinion on it. What kind of Big River goose call do I need? I want a call that I can do a lot of things with and be able to blow it easily. Do I need a long or a short call. When you were talking about the fat lady , you were talking about the molded call and not the acrylic right? thanx.

I used to use a Big River long honker back in the day, and I did do very well with it. However, since I transitioned to a short reed I'd never go back. I'm able to get a much much wider vocubulary with a short reed, but a short reed will take a lot more practice. I'm not saying you can't get a wide range with a flute, I just don't have enough air in my lungs to do it and the Big River did take a lot.

Get a middle priced call like I mentioned, look into buying the "Shawn Stahl Honker Talk" video and you'll be amazing your friends by the fall. But like I said, it takes A LOT of practice.

My suggestion is stick with ol'faithful. Learn to blow the modified flute. The short reeds do sound better AT TIMES, but thats what everyone else is blowing around ya. I like to have that different sound from everyone else. If you are able to get good on a flute, you can do almost everything/anything on one. Chances are too, if you are hunting with a friend or buddy, they are probalbly blowing a short reed. Be the different odd ball in the pit. The only problem with the Big River is that they are to mono tone for my taste. I blow a modified Olt A-50 and love it. I like the abilty to get real low, and then back to higher and faster real easy. There are a ton of flutes to pick from, but thats just my opinion.

Im sure you mean CALLS... I use about 3 different calls when I go out. 1 will be a good high baller, one a good feeder, and the other a back up. lets face it the call will always hang when the birds are cupped and coming in. Another thing is practice!!!!!!! I sit in rush hour traffic and drive people crazy

There is no problem that cannot be solved with the proper application of HIGH EXPLOSIVES!

Hey, I don't mean to steal this topic or anything, but I was just wondering if any of you guys have ever tried any Haydel goose calls or the Tim Grounds 'Guides Best' goose flute. Just trying to find a good one. Thanks.

Haydel makes great calls that won't put a hurt on your wallet. I first made the move to a short reed with one of their calls. I was never able to get it low enough for MY taste and have since moved on to short reeds by other makers.

"I'll start spending less time with my dog and more with my wife when she starts fetching ducks for me"

Whoops, sorry live to hunt and fish, i didnt see that you posted that. The big river flute is pretty good with different variety of calls, of course, goose calling isnt my specialty, but i guess its not my worst either. I love to use it cause i can cluck and give comeback calls with hardly any air

I've been buying calls for many years, but last year I got a Carlson Equalizer and I will never have to buy another call. Very good call for $20. http://carlsoncalls.com/

For canadas, I like short reeds. I started with a H.S. Slammer, sweet little SR for $20. It comes with a good tape too. Since then I have upgraded to a Mother Clucker, awesome awesome call.http://www.waterfowlersoutpost.com/

[quote="Live to Hunt & Fish"]I have a $20 wal-mart black ice call. I have hunted with it for my first 2 years of duck hunting. I am ready to get a better call. I want a call that is easy to blow and isn't outrageously priced. I am interested in starting goose hunting this next season. Does anyone know what would be a good , effective and not to exspensive beginner call would be? (I want a canda goose call)[/quote] try one of those homemade calls by les!

[quote="HonkShooter"]Hey, I don't mean to steal this topic or anything, but I was just wondering if any of you guys have ever tried any Haydel goose calls or the Tim Grounds 'Guides Best' goose flute. Just trying to find a good one. Thanks.[/trust me, DO NOT GET A NIGHT&GALE CALL. they SUCK!!!]

Like a really old and wise duck hunter told me once when asked about the best call to buy: " Son, If you are a really great caller, it doesn't matter....and if you can't call a lick, it doesn't matter" My advice....every call sounds different when different people blow it. That is mainly because we all have different sounding vocal cords. Get a decent priced call that has a good overall review....then.....PRACTICE!

I have a Foils Migrators "Streight Meat Honker" short reed and i love it. It is easy to blow. If you use a lot of flute calls you will hate it. But when you get to learn how to blow it, it is a charm. I dont know how much you were going to spend but it is on the expensive side. I paid 150 for mine. The good thing about it is that you can send it back to them and they will fix anything on the call. Reed replacement, re tune it, and polish it.

Give Primos a try, or even Duck Commander... they have several calls that sound great and won't bust your wallet... another great sounding call that I picked up last season was one from RNT, but don't jump to conclusions on the cost... it was their polymer j-frame Quackhead model... for $25 you get good a budget-making call that sounds great...

I have blown several brands and types of duck calls, and it seems like each season I always find one that I think sounds better, and blows easier than my current "favorite"... but the best duck call on the market is the one you have the most confidence in, and feel the most comfortable using in the blind... I try to pick up a few new calls prior to each duck season, just to see what makes them think they're better than other call companies... after all my "research" (at least that's what I tell my wife) I have found that, yeah, each call brand has its subtle differences... but the best way to make a call sound great, is to practice, practice, practice...

The hunting might not be that great, but the company is hard to beat...

[quote="Live to Hunt & Fish"]I have a $20 wal-mart black ice call. I have hunted with it for my first 2 years of duck hunting. I am ready to get a better call. I want a call that is easy to blow and isn't outrageously priced. I am interested in starting goose hunting this next season. Does anyone know what would be a good , effective and not to exspensive beginner call would be? (I want a canda goose call)[/quote]
Hey this is duckbuster from southdakota where its all about cold hunting....the best begginer goose call is from big river game calls its a goose flute and its camo colored.....easy to blow and works well.....ive had mine for 2 years and it has out done some of my friends expensive calls....need any more duck or goose call info just hit me back

I use a Haydel "Red Leg", the Haydel DR-85 and an Echo that I bought last year. I like all three in different situations....as for geese .....specks that is....the only call worth mentioning is the Chein Caille....(pronounced SHANE KAI) french for spotted dog. This call is made by a fella named Mervis Saltzman from Geuydan, Louisiana. It's hard to blow and takes time to master but once you figure it out you'll never blow anything else.

The Haydel DR-85 is a good call that won't empty your wallet. Get the one that comes with the instructional tape. I have been blowing that call for a few years. Just don't drop it in the blind and step on it like I did.

Duck Blinds - The summer home of freakishly large common water snakes.

i'll throw in my .02 for anyone who cares. my dad has hunted ducks for about 40 years and the only call i ever remember him carrying was a mallardtone m-5. i can't remember ever coming back empty handed of all the times i tagged along as a little kid. of course that is the call i blow today. i have freinds who blow the high end acrylic calls that run 100 bucks or more, and i have found that when i practice with my 14 dollar call the ducks respond to it better than the expensive ones. the bottom line is that buying an expensive call won't do anything if you don't practice. as for goose calls i have found the big river long honker flute to be a great call-easy blowing and realistic(as long as you practice). i don't like bragging but with my big river i once called a few geese into shooting range with no decoys out within a couple hundred yards. they circled a few times and i managed to drop one(no they weren't stupid juveniles-the one i shot weighed 13 pounds). now thats a good call. again just my .02

If you have your calling down pat then I highly recommend Commanders BROWN SUGAR. If you are still shaky on a call then you need to stick with simpler calls like Haydels DR-85 or their variable tone. My personal go to call is the BROWN SUGAR. It has a sexy sound and it really turns those greenheads on.

doodaa all the way, the j-frame quack head is the way to go for a great call for the money, and for a beginner. Although i was at cabelas for the hunting expo and ran across the rnt rep. and he introduced me to the timber, what a sweet call but a little more expensive. For now stick with the j-frame and have fun. As for short reed goose calls i am looking for a new one to.